In a significant development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has postponed the Chandigarh mayoral elections until January 29, in response to a petition filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The petition seeks a delay in the polls and a change to voting procedures, specifically advocating for voting by show of hands to ensure transparency.
The plea, initiated by current Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor of the AAP, requests that he be allowed to remain in office until February 20, marking a year since his assumption of the role amid last year’s electoral controversy and subsequent legal challenges. The original schedule had set the mayoral elections via secret ballot for January 24, with the deadline for nominations on January 20.
Despite the court’s decision to delay, political activities have not slowed down, as both the Congress and the BJP have already announced their candidates for the mayoral and deputy mayoral positions. The BJP has chosen Harpreet Babla as its mayoral candidate, with Bimla Dubey and Lakhbir Singh nominated for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, respectively. On the other side, the Congress has fielded Jasbir Bunty and Taruna Mehta for the two deputy positions.
H S Lucky, Congress president, commented to The Indian Express, “We submitted our nominations before learning about the new poll date. Regardless, our nominations will remain unchanged.” This statement underscores the parties’ readiness to proceed despite the ongoing legal proceedings.
Currently, the AAP enjoys a majority in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation House with the backing of the Congress, holding 21 votes—13 from AAP, seven from Congress, and one ex-officio vote from MP Manish Tewari. The BJP holds 15 votes.
The controversy surrounding last year’s mayoral election, held on January 30, 2024, adds a layer of complexity to this year’s polls. The previous election was plagued by misconduct allegations against BJP councillors and the presiding authority, leading to a Supreme Court case and the resignation of then-elected BJP mayor, Manoj Sonkar. Subsequently, Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor was declared the winner under the AAP-Congress alliance.
